How to Enable or Disable Password Expiration in Windows 11

Why Password Expiration Matters

Windows 11 password expiration is a security feature that prompts you to change your password regularly. This helps protect your account by making it harder for someone to use it if they learn your current password. By default, a local account password expires after a set period, typically around 42 days.

A local account password expires once a set maximum age (42 days by default) is reached. The minimum password age is 0 days by default.

A Microsoft account password expires every 72 days by default.

Option One

Enable or Disable Password Expiration for Local Account in Local Users and Groups

You can manage password expiration for a local account in Windows 11 using the Local Users and Groups tool. Note that this tool is only available on Pro, Enterprise, and Education versions of Windows. This tool lets you decide if a specific user's password needs to be changed after a certain time, helping you manage account security.

1. Open Local Users and Groups (lusrmgr.msc).
2. Do the following:

   • Click on the Users folder in the left panel.
   • Double-click on the local account name you want to change in the middle panel.
3. In the General tab, check (to disable - this is the default) or uncheck (to enable) Password never expires for what you want. Then click OK.
   

   📝Note

   The Password never expires option will be grayed out if the User must change password at next logon box is checked.
4. If you want, you can also change the maximum and minimum password age for local accounts.
5. You can now close Local Users and Groups if you want.

Option Two

Enable or Disable Password Expiration for Local Account in Command Prompt

⚠️ Requires admin privileges

1. Open Windows Terminal (Admin), and select Command Prompt.

Enable Password Expiration for Local Account(s)

Force a local account's password to expire in Windows 11 using a Command Prompt command. This tells Windows the user must change their password after a set time, improving account security. For all accounts, use the `wmic UserAccount set PasswordExpires=True` command.

2. Type one of the commands below into the command prompt and press Enter:
   

   For all existing local accounts:

   
   

   wmic UserAccount set PasswordExpires=True

   
   

   OR

   
   

   For a specific local account:

   
   

   wmic UserAccount where Name="adminuser" set PasswordExpires=True

   
   

   Replace adminuser with the actual username of the local account you want to enable password expiration for.

3. If you want, you can also change the maximum and minimum password age for local accounts.

Disable Password Expiration for Local Account(s)

Prevent a local account's password from expiring in Windows 11 using a Command Prompt command. This setting ensures the password will never expire, which is useful for accounts needing constant access without frequent login detail changes. You won't be prompted to update your password.

Password expiration in Windows 11 will be disabled, meaning your account password will never expire. This change prevents users from being forced to change their password periodically, a security measure often implemented every 42 days.

2. Type one of the commands below into the command prompt and press Enter:
   

   For all existing local accounts:

   
   

   wmic UserAccount set PasswordExpires=False

   
   

   OR

   
   

   For a specific local account:

   
   

   wmic UserAccount where Name="adminuser" set PasswordExpires=False

   
   

   Replace adminuser with the actual username of the local account you want to disable password expiration for.
3. You can now close Windows Terminal (Admin) if you want.

Option Three

Enable or Disable Password Expiration for Local Account in PowerShell

⚠️ Requires admin privileges

1. Open Windows Terminal (Admin), and select Windows PowerShell.

Enable Password Expiration for Local Account(s)

What happens: Your password will need to be changed after it expires.

2. Type one of the commands below into the command prompt and press Enter:
   

   For all existing local accounts:

   
   

   Get-LocalUser | Set-LocalUser -PasswordNeverExpires $false

   
   

   OR

   
   

   For a specific local account:

   
   

   Set-LocalUser -Name 'adminuser' -PasswordNeverExpires $false

   
   

   Replace adminuser with the actual username of the local account you want to enable password expiration for.

3. If you want, you can also change the maximum and minimum password age for local accounts.
4. When finished, go to step 5 below.

Disable Password Expiration for Local Account(s)

Note: This is the default setting.

Disabling Windows 11 password expiration stops forced password changes for users. When this setting is off, a user's password never expires, eliminating reminders to update login details. This change is common for accounts needing constant access, such as service accounts.

2. Type one of the commands below into the command prompt and press Enter:
   

   For all existing local accounts:

   
   

   Get-LocalUser | Set-LocalUser -PasswordNeverExpires $true

   
   

   OR

   
   

   For a specific local account:

   
   

   Set-LocalUser -Name 'adminuser' -PasswordNeverExpires $true

   
   

   Replace adminuser with the actual username of the local account you want to disable password expiration for.

3. You can now close Windows Terminal (Admin) if you want.

Option Four

Enable or Disable Password Expiration for Microsoft Account Online at Microsoft

You can manage password expiration for your Microsoft account by visiting Microsoft's website online. Changing your password on their site is how you set or remove any expiration policy that is active for your account. You'll need to sign in to verify your account and make changes.

1. Go to the Change your password site at Microsoft for your Microsoft account.
2. Sign in to the Microsoft site with your Microsoft account to verify.
3. Do the following:

   • Type your current password.
   • Type a new password.
   • Reenter the password to confirm.
   • Check (to enable) or uncheck (to disable - this is the default) Make me change my password every 72 days for what you want.
   • Click Save.
4. Sign in to the Microsoft site with your Microsoft account's new password to verify.
   

Summary

In Windows 11, you can manage password expiration for local accounts using tools like Local Users and Groups, Command Prompt, and PowerShell. For Microsoft accounts, you manage expiration settings directly on Microsoft's website. The Local Users and Groups tool is the most accessible method for beginners on Pro/Enterprise/Education editions.

• Option One: Use Local Users and Groups (easiest for beginners, Pro/Enterprise/Education editions only)
• Option Two: Use Command Prompt with WMIC commands (works on all editions)
• Option Three: Use PowerShell commands (works on all editions)
• Option Four: Change settings online for your Microsoft account

Password expiration strengthens account security by forcing regular password changes in Windows 11. Users can disable this security measure if frequent password updates seem inconvenient. Administrator rights are necessary to make these changes on the computer.